From Hollywood to Formula 1, pet brands court new audiences

Pet care brands are partnering with public figures, including TV personalities and athletes, to expand their reach and connect with new audiences.

Chris Evans and improved metrics

This is most evident among US brands. Californian pet nutrition and supplement brand Jinx launched a campaign with American actor Chris Evans to mark National Dog Day on 26 August. “The work we do with Chris is primarily focused on those two pillars: telling authentic stories at scale and leading the charge on our charitable impact,” Jinx tells GlobalPETS. 

“Our partnership work with Chris amplifies our brand mission to new audiences and drives a significant amount of earned media and social shareability to extend the work far beyond the reach we could efficiently buy through paid media alone,” it adds.

According to the company, the success of celebrity partnerships is measured by consumer interest, the campaign’s reach beyond the initial audience and, ultimately, the business results generated. On the audience side, Jinx tracks organic reach, engagement and sentiment to assess whether the campaign resonates.

“We look at earned media and social shareability to understand how far it traveled beyond the audiences we paid to reach. And commercially, we look at retail performance – sales lift, velocity and sell-through during and after the campaign – to understand whether that attention translated into purchase,” it says.

Jinx notes that the partnership is one of several celebrity collaborations planned for later this year, with the company exploring additional partnerships for 2027.

From music to sports

Canidae, a pet food producer based in Connecticut, also marked National Dog Day with the launch of Canidae Heartland, a new dog food line available at select Walmart stores nationwide, accompanied by an original song, “Love is a Four-Legged Word (Heartland Version),” written and performed by country music artist Walker Hayes.

The initiative includes a partnership with the American Red Cross, with Canidae donating 1% of every Heartland retail purchase to support people facing emergencies across the US. 

Turning to sports, New York-based pet food maker The Farmer’s Dog has signed a multi-year partnership with US women’s tennis player Jessica Pegula to support A Lending Paw Foundation, which helps rescue dogs become trained service animals for people in need.

Under the agreement, The Farmer’s Dog will provide fresh meals to dogs in the foundation’s care and contribute to fundraising efforts supporting their rescue, rehabilitation, training and placement.

Pegula will also participate in Dog Comfort Days, an initiative The Farmer’s Dog launched in June in partnership with NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney. The program brings therapy dogs to memory care centers to support residents, caregivers and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease through the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation.

Limited-edition merchandise

In September, Purina’s Fancy Feast cat food brand partnered with American television personality, podcaster and influencer Paige DeSorbo.

As part of the partnership, Fancy Feast launched “The Paige Edit,” a limited-edition collection initially available exclusively on Amazon from 1 September. The collection features 3 recipes DeSorbo selected based on her cat Daphne’s preferences.

Meanwhile, California-based pet toy manufacturer Feline Frenzy partnered with cat behaviorist, YouTuber and former TV host Jackson Galaxy on a rock-inspired toy collection. The Jackson Galaxy x Feline Frenzy Collection debuted at SuperZoo 2026 in Las Vegas in early August.

Beyond the US

Singaporean pet lifestyle brand VETRESKA also teamed up with Formula 1 driver and global brand partner Ollie Bearman to develop and launch the Circuit Collection, a range of motorsport-inspired accessories.

The partnership gives VETRESKA a platform to tap into the sport’s expanding global audience and connect with consumers outside traditional pet channels, the company told GlobalPETS.

“Becoming the first pet lifestyle brand on the Formula 1 grid reflects that approach. It demonstrates that pet brands can connect with people in new environments and create experiences beyond traditional pet retail,” it says.

VETRESKA notes that this move reflects a broader change in how consumers view pet products. “Pets are now deeply integrated into people’s lives. They are part of our families, our homes and our identities. The products we choose for them can reflect our taste, personality and the bond we share with them,” it adds.